A Past to Remember
by Hidden Leaf
Summary: Ever wonder why Sanosuke ran away from home? Or why he insisted on joining the Sekiho Army over the other hundreds out there? Well you’re about to find out! Chapter 3 and 4 up. [DISCONTINUED]
1. Hide and Seek

Author's Note: Hey! This is my first Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic!

Disclaimer: I blah, don't blah, own, blah, anything blah… but I do own Jyin and Myo

Ever wonder why Sanosuke ran away from home? Or why he insisted on joining the Sekiho Army over the other hundreds out there? Well you're about to find out!

It was a rainy, dreary day. Young Sanosuke wondered if his father would ever come back. He hoped not. His father was abusive toward him, his brothers, and his mother. He felt that it was his duty to protect his family being the oldest. Although he realised at the tender age of 8 he could do little.

It was Sano's birthday tomorrow and he hoped his father would not ruin it like last time.

_Flash back 1 Year_

_Balloons filled the air as young Sanosuke, now 8, made his wish and blew out the candles on his chocolate cake. In the background Sano could hear faint yells coming from his father._

"_I don't give a crap about his stupid birthday!" his high father screamed at his mother._

"_I've got more important things to do than worry about that-that boy's birthday!"_

"_OOOHH!" the kids chirped in harmony at the way his father talked._

_All of the kids stood and looked at Sano with blank faces. Sano, realising what his father said about him turned pale. And with that said their was a silence. His mother stood frozen with fear of what his father would do next._

_He towered over and looked as if he was about to hit her. Instead he stomped through where the kids were and they all backed away. His father seemed not to care. He took his jacket and left. Sanosuke ran into his bedroom and cried tears of anger. Ever since that fateful day, Sanosuke hated his father hoped he would never return._

_End Flashback_

Sanosuke shook the thought away.

"SANOSUKE, JYIN, MYO! HE'S COMING!" his mother screamed. His mother was American so she pronounced their names the way they were spelled.

Sano, who was currently looking out the front window of his home, saw his father standing on the porch knocking furiously on the door. Sano's mother scooped Sanosuke up in her arms.

"Sanosuke, stay away from the windows! Go with your brothers and hide! Now!"

Sano quickly obeyed and motioned for his brothers to follow. He went throughout the house frantically looking for the perfect hiding place.

"Is this like Hide and Seek (A/N: not the movie with Charlie)?" said 4 year old Myo

"Uh, yeah. J-Just like Hide and Seek," said Sanosuke trying to sound calm. "Let's hide in here. Hurry!"

Jyin and Myo followed Sano into their small 1-room basement. In it was 3 barrels of rice. Jyin, a year behind Sano, helped Sano dump the rice out. Jyin, with nothing to do went up do the basement door and listened.

"What do you hear?" asked Jyin shakily.

"Um, a lot of yelling... Mom is screaming!"

"We gotta help her!"

"No." said Sano. "We gotta stay down here. Besides, what do you think he's gonna do when he sees us?"

Myo and Jyin glanced at him and found understanding. They each climbed under their barrel's and waited.


	2. Captain

Disclaimer: blah, blah, blah, I don't own no stinkin' Rurouni Kenshin, blah, blah, blah

As they waited the yelling grew louder. Sanosuke tried breath but couldn't because he was so scared. Over to his right Sano could hear Jyin's Heavy breathing. Then he heard his mother scream, then nothing.

Silence. Complete and utter silence. As Myo was about speak, the basement door flew open. His father walked in silently but could not escape Sano's excellent hearing. Myo who had suddenly sneezed from the excess saw dust, gasped. Sano found a small crack in the side of the barrel a looked out. HE saw his father charge toward Jyin's barrel.

"Well, what do we have here?"

Immediately Jyin emerged from the barrel,"W-What are y-you doing here?"

"Takin' care of business."

"W-What are you ta-"

Sanosuke didn't breath. His father shot his brother. At that moment he couldn't think until his father's rattling of the barrel on his left broke his trance.

"Come on outa there you little piece of crap!"

When little Myo did not come out his father simply shot at the barrel several times until a small hand fell to the ground. Sano, now crying angrily shook and did not dare move.

"Now… where's that other one?" his father asked to no one.

When he turned to shoot at Sano's barrel, he braced himself for the blow. Several seconds later Sanosuke heard his father make a choking sound, gag, and drop the gun. Then, when he worked up the nerve, he peeked out to see his father lying on the ground unconscious gun still in hand. Sano saw a pair of feet hovering above his father.

The person standing by his father lifted the barrel hiding Sano and said," You alright kid?" Sanosuke backed away not knowing how react.

"I, uh… Yeah" said a much shaken Sanosuke.

The man was Captain Sagara Sōzō.


	3. Aftershock

Disclaimer: If I owned Rurouni Kenshin, would I be on this site?

Here are the replies to my reviewers:

Hoshiko Megami: Don't worry, I will:)

unicornfan: Thank you very much smiles fake smile

Sanosuke, still shaken, stood in awe of what to him was his savior. Captain Sagara lent a hand out to Sano and helped him up.

Sanosuke glanced at the bodies of his two younger brothers and tears welled up in his eyes.

"Are they d-dead?"

Captain Sagara knelt down next to Jyin and Myo and checked their pulses. He reluctantly shook his head no. Sanosuke's eyes shadowed out and he began to let his held back tears fall.

"Sanosuke…" Sagara started.

"How do you know my name?"

"I've been watching you for some time. I know how your father abuses you and your family."

"So, you know about me. What's your name?"

"Sagara Sōzō. Captain Sagara Sōzō."

"So, _Captain,_ why were you monitoring me?" asked Sano.

"I need new recruits for my army." Sagara said patiently.

"And what army would that be?"

"The Sekihō Army. I wish for you to consider my offer, seeing as how you're only a minor and don't have a guardian."

Sano stood and thought about the offer.

"At least spend the night with us."

"Well, okay," Sanosuke finally said.

He quickly followed Capt. Sagara to the stairs. He looked back once more at the body of Myo and Jyin. He remembered how Jyin had looked up to him and how Myo always thought things were a game. He looked away and walked to the front of the house with Sagara. There he saw his mother lying in her bedroom with several doctors.

"Mother!" Sano cried.

He felt a reliving hand on his shoulder. "Do not worry. She is in good hands."

"S-So, you mean she's not dead?"

"Yes she will live."

They walked out of Sano's house to a carriage. Sano had never ridden in a carriage before. Sanosuke got in after Capt. Sagara and did not speak until they reached the Sekihō Army HQ.


	4. Welcome to the Sekihō Army

Author's Note: Hey everybody! Chapter 4 coming right up! Also, anyone can use the character Chighan.

"Man! This place is huge!" exclaimed Sanosuke as he gazed at what was the Sekihō Army's Headquarters.

"Welcome to HQ, kid," said a voice Sano did not recognize. He turned to see an older man with a scar on his left eye. "Hi. I'm Chighan, the army's head navigator."

After shaking hands with almost everyone in HQ, Sanosuke met a small boy about his age. He was shy and looked like he had just lost his best friend.

"Tell him your name," Capt. Sagara said to the boy.

The boy's eyebrows furrowed and he said "I-I'm Katsuhiro. Tsukuioka Katsuhiro. Sano, equally shy said," Hi. I'm Sanosuke."

"No last name huh? You must be some poor farmer's boy."

Capt. Sagara glared at him for he too was the son of a farmer.

Sano ignored Tsukuioka's offensive statement and followed Capt. Sagara to a small room. Capt. Sagara had taken him to the meeting room. A man soon came in with several papers. Capt. Sagara took one and gave it to Sano.

It read,' Under the power of the Sekiho Army I will make a better nation…… I will be under the guardianship of Captain Sagara and will serve him well...'

After Sanosuke had read it he asked," What's this for?"

"Have you considered joining the army?" Capt. Sagara replied.

"Yeah. I want to join."

"Then sign this paper. It gives you access to all of our weapons and allows you to become a minor soldier."

Sanosuke argued with himself for the final decision finally said," Okay. I'll do it."

"Welcome to the Sekiho Army."

Author's note: Sorry it was so short!


End file.
